Until 24 July: Ulster-Scots and the Declaration of Independence, an in-person exhibition, launched on 21 April and hosted by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. Free. All welcome. No need to book. Visit during PRONI's normal opening hours.
Monday 1 May: May Day Bank holiday across the island. All libraries and archives, businesses and educational institutions closed.
Wednesday 3 May: The ‘arms dump’ that ended the Civil War in May 1923, with Dr Mary Muldowney. An in-person event hosted by Dublin City Libraries at Dublin Central Library, Ilac Centre, Henry Street, Dublin 1. 1pm. Free. All welcome but booking is required by T 01-2228300 or E centrallibrary@dublincity.ie.
Wednesday 3 May: Great Famine Voices Roadshow, with Caroilin Callery, an in-person lecture hosted by the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park, Co Roscommon at the London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB, UK. Free. 7pm (doors 6:30pm) Free. Need to book/reserve your seat.
Thursday 4 May: History of the Abbey Theatre, with Mairead Delaney. An in-person event hosted by Mount Merrion Historical Society. Venue: Fitzwilliam Rooms, The Community Centre, North Avenue, Mount Merrion, Dublin. 8pm. Admission: Members Free / Non-Members €4 / Students €2.
Friday 5 May: Tips for Breaking through Brickwalls, an online class with Martin McDowell. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society. 7pm. All welcome. £10. Need to book.
Saturday 6 May: Stories beyond the stones – Commonwealth War Graves Commission Graves in County Cork, with Fiona Forde. An in-person event hosted by Cork Public Museum, Fitzgerald Park, Mardyke, Cork. Part of the museum's 2023 lecture series. Starts at 1pm. Free but need to book by email (museum @ corkcity.ie) or phone 021-4270679).
Monday 8 May Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland only; most repositories will be closed.
Monday 8 May Protestant and Irish – The minority’s search for place in independent Ireland, a talk with Dr Ida Milne and Dr Ian d'Alton. Host: Celbridge Historical Society. Venue: Community Library, St Patrick's Park, Celbridge, County Kildare. An in-person event. 7.45-8.45pm. Free. All welcome.
Monday 8 May to Tuesday 9 May: 21st Annual Historic Irish Houses Conference. In-person event hosted by the Centre for the Study of Historic Irish Houses and Estates. Venue: Maynooth University, Co Kildare. This year's theme is 'Picturing the Country House'. In-person prices start at €30.00. Online option, with recordings available for one month, €50. Details and programme.
Tuesday 9 May: Launch of the Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies, a free online showcase event. Tahitia McCabe, the Head of the new Institute, will be joined by Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde and guest speaker Professor Turi King. 5:30pm–7pm. Details.
Tuesday 9 May: A History of Housing in Dublin – Tenement Beginnings. The first in a series of four talks with historian Donal Fallon exploring the social and architectural hsitory of housing in the capital. Hosted by Culture Connects at Richmond Barracks, Inchicore, Dublin 8. 6:30pm. Tickets free but booking essential.
Tuesday 9 May: The Londonderry Militia (1793-1816), with Al Bodkin. , follows the branch AGM. Hosted by North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. This talk follows the branch's AGM. In-person venue: Bridge Community Centre, 50 Railway St, Lisburn, County Down. Free. All welcome. 7:30pm–9pm. Details.
Tuesday 9 May: Do-it-Yourself Heraldry – The design, assumption and registration of armorial bearings, with Martin Goldstraw. An online event hosted by the Genealogical Society of Ireland (GSI). All welcome. Free. Request access from Membership@Familyhistory.ie. 8pm. Talks will be posted on YouTube asap after the event.
Saturday 13 May: National Library of Ireland's Reading Rooms and Readers Ticket Office open to in-person visitors from 9:30 to 1pm. Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Saturday 13 May: Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, an online event with Chris Paton. Hosted by the Society of Genealogists. 2pm-3pm. £10 non-members / £6.50 for SoG members. Booking.
Saturday 13 May: IGRS Ireland Branch Open Day, an in-person and free event from 10am to 4pm. Hosted by the Irish Genealogical Research Society. Venue: Dublin City Library and Archive, 139-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Lunch, at own expense, from 12pm to 1pm. All welcome. No booking required. Details. Four talks will be presented, as follows:
- Codebreaker: The untold Story of Richard Hayes, with Marc McMeniman
- Troubled Waters: Wales, Ireland and the Irish Sea in the long C18th, with Dr. Mary-Ann Constantine
- The Youghal Witch Trial, with Rosaleen Underwood, MAGI
- Killester Garden Village and the Irish WW1 ex-servicemen and families who lived there, with Áron Crampton.